Mushroom Lentil "Meatballs"
Meatballs are a crowd-pleaser. But what if your crowd is vegetarian? Or vegan? Trying to lower their saturated fat or cholesterol intake? Or invested in sustainable food practices? Try these plant-forward Mushroom-Lentil “Meatballs” for any of the above reasons – or simply because they’re delicious.
We like our Mushroom Lentil “Meatballs” because of their chewy, substantial texture and nutty taste. Plus, that golden brown color looks like the real deal! Though we made ours with traditional brown lentils, feel free to use any color. We’d be curious to see how your Mushroom Lentil “Meatballs” turn out using red or green. Tag us in your pictures @FLIKhospitality!
Mushroom Lentil "Meatballs"
We like our Mushroom Lentil “Meatballs” because of their chewy, substantial texture and nutty taste. Plus, that golden brown color looks like the real deal! This veggie and grain-based alternative is sure to be a crowd-pleaser.
Serving Size: 4 meatballs, Makes 6 servings
Ingredients
| 10 ounces dry lentils, any color |
| 1/4 cup canola oil |
| 1/3 cup chopped shallots |
| 2 tablespoons minced garlic |
| 3 cups sliced button mushrooms |
| 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary |
| 1 cup Madeira wine |
| 1 teaspoon salt |
| 1/2 teaspoon black pepper |
| 1 cup panko breadcrumbs |
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment.
- Place lentils in a stockpot and cover with water. Bring to a simmer and cook until tender, 20-30 minutes. Drain.
- Heat oil in a sauté pan. Cook shallots and garlic until softened. Add mushrooms, cook until caramelized. Add rosemary and Madeira wine. Simmer until Madeira has reduced and almost completely evaporated, about 7 minutes. Stir in salt and pepper.
- Combine 1/2 the cooked lentils and mushroom mixture in a food processor. Pulse until smooth and transfer to large bowl.
- Add the remaining whole lentils and breadcrumbs and use hands to combine. Portion mixture into 1.25-ounce balls and place on prepared baking sheet. Bake until golden brown and heated through.
Nutrition info per serving: 320 calories, 10 gm fat, 1 gm saturated fat, 350 mg sodium, 38 gm carbohydrate, 4 gm sugar, 7 gm fiber, 14 gm protein
Green Pea, Chickpea, Cauliflower "Meatballs" are another unique plant-based meatball alternative. Plate either option over pasta (or spiralized veggies) and smother in Roasted Garden Vegetable Sauce.
For more information about this article or others, please email us at FLIKblog@compass-usa.com.